Minors face Waterford in opening round

Clare will begin its defence of the Munster minor hurling title on May 2 next year when they play Waterford in a repeat of the 2011 decider.
The championship format is unchanged, which means that there will be three first round games with the winners going through to the provincial semi-finals while the three losers will then play off for the remaining quarter-final spot.
Should Clare repeat last year’s victory over Waterford, they will go through to play either Kerry or Tipperary in a semi-final on June 29.
However, should Clare lose to Waterford, they will then meet the winners of the game between the other two first round losers on May 10. Kerry play Tipperary and Limerick play Cork in first round games with the two losers meeting three days later on May 5.
In the minor football championship, Clare will also play Waterford in the opening round and this game will be played on April 14.
The format is similar to the minor hurling with the three first round winners going into the semi-finals and the three losers playing off for the remaining place. Should Clare lose to Waterford the will play the losers of the Kerry v Tipperary first round game three days later (April 17) with the winners of that game then playing the losers of the Limerick v Cork first round game on April 24.
In the provincial U-21 Football Championship, Clare will face Limerick in a quarter-final tie at a Clare venue on March 14 with the winners going through to play Cork in the semi-final two weeks later (March 28).
Clare have received a bye into the semi-final of the U-21 hurling championship where they will play Waterford on July 19.

Pre-season tournaments
The Waterford Crystal (hurling) and McGrath Cup (football) competitions will mark the beginning of the new competitive season for the county senior sides.
The footballers will be first into action when they play University of Limerick in the first round of the McGrath Cup on January 8 with the winners going through to face Cork in a quarter-final game. Kerry, last year winners, have not entered the competition this year.
In the Waterford Crystal senior hurling tournament Clare will play Waterford IT in the opening round on January 29 with the winners going through to play Limerick in a quarter-final tie a week later.

Thurles is the venue
Semple Stadium Thurles will host the meeting of Clare and Waterford in next summer’s Munster senior hurling semi-final.
The game will see Davy Fitzgerald manage his native Clare against the county he has managed in the last four championships. The date for this game will be confirmed when the National fixtures plan is finalised.
Meanwhile, Clare senior footballers will play their Provincial semi-final in either Ennis or Limerick. If Waterford beat Clare in the first round, they will have to travel to Ennis but should Limerick win the first round then Clare will make the short journey to the Gaelic Grounds.

Draws
Minor hurling
May 2: A – Clare v Waterford; B – Kerry v Tipperary; C – Limerick v Cork. May 5: D – losers of B v losers of C. May 10: E – losers of A v winners of D. June 29: semi-finals – A v B; E v C.

Minor football
April 14: A – Limerick v Cork; B – Kerry v Tipperary; C – Clare v Waterford. April 17: D – losers of B v losers of C. April 24: E – losers of A v winners of D. May 16: semi-finals – A v B; C v E.

U-21 football
March 14: quarter-finals – A Kerry v Tipperary; B – Clare v Limerick. March 28: semi-finals – Waterford v A; Cork v B. April 11: final.

U-21 hurling
June 6: quarter-final – Cork v Tipperary. July 18: semi-final – A v Limerick. July 19: Waterford v Clare. August 8: final.

Waterford Crystal hurling
January 29: Preliminary rounds; A – Kery v IT Tralee; B – Tipperary v LIT; C – Clare v WIT. February 5: Quarter finals – D-Cork v A; E – UL v B; F – Limerick v C; G – UCC v Waterford. February 12: Semi-finals – D v E; F v G. February 19: final.

McGrath Cup (senior football)
January 8: preliminary rounds, A – Waterford v IT, Tralee; B – Clare v UL; C – Tipperary v LIT. January 15: quarter-finals, D – CIT v A; E – Cork v B; F – WIT v C; G – Limerick v UCC. January 22: semi-finals, D v E; F v G. January 29: final.